This week I’ve been eating more and sleeping less, but still feeling very drained at the end of the day. As I walked home the other day after work, along the route that just happens to pass right by a book store, I picked up a copy of The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. Forgoing my own Tuesday and Wednesday night ‘knitting clubs’ (at the PP and LK respectively) I spent two evening curled up on my couch with some much needed and greatly enjoyed relaxing reading.
The Friday Night Knitting Club is just the right kind of book when you’re in the mood for a tale of strong women, unexpected sisterhoods, and a dash of romance (with a bonus smattering of knitting wisdom). The book is very cleverly arranged into several sections from “casting on” and “knit and purl”, to “ripping it all out”. (I was reminded of Stephanie Pearl-McPhee‘s books on these pages.) Set in glamorous Manhattan, the story of the “mompreneur”, yarn-shop Walker and Daughter owner, and single mother Georgia Walker and her mixed-race daughter Dakota offers an insightful view into the variances of urban knitters’ lives. The eclectic group of staff, friends, and customers whose own deep, often poignant, life’s stories lend a depth and richness to the tale. I am not above admitting that there were several moments in the book, both touching and sorrowful, that made me cry (although the pregnancy hormones seem to let flow much more frequently than I did before), but there are real gems of humour and thoughtfulness throughout. While not a “deep” read, there are many elements of women’s lives (from senior sex to depression to planned parenthood) that are genuinely thought-provoking long after the book has been put down. While I missed being out with my own knitting community, I do think I spent two evenings in quite lovely company.
Now I’m usually much more of a speculative fiction girl than a “chick lit” reader, though well-worn copies of Bridget Jones’ Diary and Like Water for Chocolate do appear on my shelves. But therein lies the problem — with the great de-cluttering of bedroom #2 (formerly office/craft room, now baby-room-to-be) we’ve literally decimated (as in “are keeping only one tenth of the total”!) our book collection, getting rid of those extra three copies (not kidding at all) of Interview with a Vampire and boxing for storage those novels and school texts we can’t bear to be rid of forever. And then I go out and buy new books.
One of these days I’ll learn how to take my library books back on time, not every 8 months when I can swallow my pride and humbly request a decrease in the astronomically-accrued fines. That day has not quite come yet, though, so I figure the next best thing is to read a book and, instead of being guilty over the price or storage, just pass it on.
Hence I’d like to begin the Friday Night Knit(Blog)ing Club.
Club rules are simple:
1) I will write my name, blog address, and a little note in the cover of my copy of The Friday Night Knitting Club;
2) You leave a comment on this post, maybe with a little story about your favourite “knitting club” or inspiring group of women;
3) I’ll randomly chose someone to mail the book to, so you can read it too;
4) When you’re done with the book, you’ll write a blog post similar to this one, offering the book up to the next “member” of The Friday Night Knit(Blog)ing Club, will write your own little note in the cover, and mail it on…
Free Book! (and possibility of fibery extras.) Fun swap! “Exclusive” club! (ok, so not really; just depending on how fast people read and the post delivers.) Leave a comment to “Join up”!!
